Andrew p



(No Model) A; P. VAN TUYL, Jr. MEDICAL ELECTRODE.

No. 542,508. Patented Jul 9, 1895.

ANDREW VAN TUYL, JR," OF BROOKLYN, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO, HIMSELF ANDEDYVARD C. PARK, OF SAMEPLAOE.

MEDICAL ELECTRODE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,508, dated July 9,1895.

Application filed May 15, 1895. Serial No. 549,400. on model) To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW P. VAN TU YL, .Ir., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Brooklymin the county of Kings and State of NewYork, have invented an Improvement in Medical Electrodes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of the present invention is tov provide a medical electrodefor electrotherapeutic use,where the medical or other solutions orliquids are required to be held against the skin of the body during thepassage of an electric current through the same for remedial purposes,and this medical electrode is very convenient, because theahsorbentmaterial can be readily attached or detached, and the liquidthat is applied to the same is retained and not liable to drop or runaway during its application to the body.

shows the face of the instrument with the disk of.felt and one of thebuttons removed, and Fig. 5 is an elevation of the back of theinstrument with a portion of the back plate removed.

The sponge-plate A. is of metal and prefer ablysquare or triangular,with the corners J bent over to form hooks to receive between them thesponge or felt F, which is preferably circular in form and of suitablethickness for holding the required amount of liquid or semi-liquidmedicinal material to be applied to the surface of the body as anelectric ourrent is passed through the same.

The back plate B is advantageously of nonconducting material, such ashard rubber, and between the same and the sponge-plate A is introducedthe inner edges of the rubber skirt S, so that such edges will beclamped by screwing the sponge-plate and back plate together by one ormore screws, represented at H, and this skirt S extends out around thesponge or felt F, and such skirt is conical in shape, so that its edgeswill set closely against the skin for confining any liquid with whichthe sponge or felt Fis saturated.

The conductor Vi is provided with an insulating-covering and isadvantageously sufticiently rigid to form a handle O to the instrument,and the conductor W is permanently connected to the sponge-plate A bysolder or otherwise. I have represented such conductor W as permanentlyconnected with the nut N for the screw H, so that the parts are heldreliably together, but can be detached for cleaning when desired, and itwill be observed that the edges of the skirt S, be-

ing clamped, will prevent moisture passing in between the sponge-plate Aand the back plate B.

Any desired device may be provided for receiving the battery-wire. Ihave, however, represented the buttons D connected together by the screwh, that passes through the buttons and through a nut M, and thespringlink 15 is adapted to pass around the screw h, between the nuts nM, and it is provided with an eye into which may be received one of theconductors, through which the current is supplied from a suitablebattery or other source of electric energy.

It will now be understood that when the sponge-plate A, a battery-wireisconnected I to the link 78, and the apparatus is applied to thedesired part of the body with the sponge or felt F, resting against theskin, and the moisture is retained by the rubber skirt S, and theelectric current passes through the sponge-plate and through themedicated liquid to the body, the patient holding the other electrodefrom the battery, or the same. being applied in any other desired mannerto the body, and the electric current passing into the body carries withit the medicinal materials or acts upon'the same, so as to render themeflicient as a remedial agent.

The apparatus is easily taken apart and cleaned when not desired foruse, and the apparatus being small and free from projec- IOO tions orbinding posts the same can be applied to any desired part of thebody'without any risk of injury or inconvenience to the patient.

having its corners turned over to form hooks,"

a sponge or absorbent material heldby such hooks, a conductor extendingout fromsuch sponge plate and having an insulating covering, a backplate connected with the sponge plate and an elastic skirtsnrrou-ndingt'he sponge plate and having its edges held be-' tween suchsponge plate and the back plate,-

substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in an electrode for medical purposes, of a spongeplate and a conductor therewith connected, sponge or other absorbentmaterial upon such sponge pla'te,'aud

a water-proof skirt connected with the sponge plate and surrounding thefelt or sponge, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination in a medical electrode having a plate with itscorners bent over to form hooks, of a removable sponge or felt forreceiving the medicated liquid, a conductor connected with the spongeplate, and a back plate of insulating material, and a skirt having itsinner edge clamped between the sponge plateand the back plate andsurrounding the sponge or porous material, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a medical electrode, of a sponge plate, aninsulated conductor extending out from the same, and buttons at theouter end of the conductor, a screw for connecting the buttons and theconductor and a spring link between the buttons and to which one of thebattery conductors is connected, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this ith day of May, 1895. ANDREW P. VAN TUYL, JR.Witnesses:

Gno. T. PINCKNEY, S. T. I-IAVILAND.

